Spending time in a community of like-minded people is good for your wellbeing - so why don't we do more of it?

We know that access to green spaces and nature based environmental activities is beneficial to mental health. We also know that music, dancing, and art can have significant positive impacts on our mental health. Again, community and a sense of belonging also benefits our mental health.

Why then do we no longer gather as communities in a way which sustains us?

Increasingly our abilities and rights to gather and celebrate our humanity and culture are restricted by the state. Community spaces are sold off to developers for housing - which in turn costa ten times our annual earnings. Land itself is outside the price range of most of us.

Our access to green spaces is restricted and commercialised, from charges for parking and reduction in our rights to stop for the night. Instead, we are offered a mass-produced product with tens of thousands of people gathered to consume mass media and products, often leaving vast quantities of rubbish, single use products and equipment provided so cheaply the user simply cannot be arsed to carry it home.

Positive solutions, empower and last. Supporting small enterprises, musicians and artists make us feel good and improves our mental health.

The challenge for us now is how to keep our social and environmental wellbeing pillars nourished as we return to our everyday lives. Like many, we have limited social networks where we live - a consequence of moving around a lot. We plan to return to the green gathering next summer, and hope to find another 2 or 3 summer events we can visit. For our day to day contact we are looking for groups and events in our local area that have a sustainability/outdoors focus to start to engage with a bit more.

What do you need to support your social wellbeing? What opportunities can you find in your local communities to meet with other likeminded people? Are there gatherings or events you could plan for that might give you time with others that fit your needs?

Despite this there are still opportunities to nourish our selves in sustainable ways if we look for them.

Bee More You returned to the Green Gathering last week and had a fabulous four days in a field. We listened to music, danced, sang and learned with a community, albeit temporary, of people gathered for this purpose with sustainable intent. We used compost toilets (which were infinitely superior to the portaloo's!), sorted our recycling as we went, and Stephen enjoyed the chance to cook on wood fires again.